The theme for this issue of Bending Light Magazine is "worth a thousand words." An old saying, we know, but one with so much potential - because what we really wanted to find were images that pushed beyond the proverb. Our goal was not to find photographs
that take a thousand words to recreate in the readers mind, but to find ones that evoke questions and inspire stories.

Why is she sitting in a car, in a deserted parking lot, in the rain? What is she feeling? Is she sad? Angry? Did she have a fight with someone? Or is she plotting revenge? It is this ability to draw the viewer into the photograph that we were looking for: photos that
could inspire the author to write, or prompt the photographer to grab their camera. Many academics will tell you that ‘good art’ imitates life, but we think real art inspires life. When a photograph makes us imagine new heights or explore undreamt of darkness - that is truly
inspirational.

Students are well aware of the high prices of collge textbooks. Here's a resource to find affordable textbooks.

We hope that, as you browse through this issue of BLM, you will encounter images that speak to you on many levels. You’ll journey across the globe with our featured artist, Manuel Librodo, and explore the haunting realm of missed photographic opportunities
with Janet Penny. We are pleased to have two fantastic interviews by David Shirk in this issue. First you’ll meet Ryan Keberly, whose photoblog, The Snowsuit Effort, tells the individual stories of the men and women living
on the streets of Michigan.

As some of you know I was born in Pennsylvania, more specifically in Doylestown, PA. Growing up there was great. Doylestown is close to Philly and still has the small town charm. I go back to see my family
and friends often.

Then you’ll get to know Barb Uil, whose photographs manage to both capture the magical essence of childhood and inspire viewers to relive their own fond memories of youth. Lastly, Martin Yeates will introduce you to Oaza,
a non-profit organization that works to better the lives of Romanian children.

We all should be concerned about the environment and should do our part to protect it. What better way to do it, than to go solar and save money as we do it. Massachusetts is one of the best places in the US right now to get a home
solar system due to the tax breaks and incentives. Until
2016 we can save 30% right of the top of the total cost of installation.

If looking to have new carpets installed in Massachusetts, try the folks at MAfloors.com. They are efficient, affordable, and above all, very professional. They did our Attleboro home last April and it came out gorgeous.

Is your wedding approaching fast, and you need wedding invitations? Here are some choices for you:

On a personal note, we were just faced with a family choice: Our parents are getting up there in age and they are concerned about paying for their final expenses and some debts. They do not want to leave us with any financial burdens. My friend Greg mentioned getting a $50,000 life insurance
policy on my father (he is 70) and mother (she is 65). Althought it is not very cheap, it is still affordable.

If you are the owner of a small business with a partner, it is in your best interest for the company to get life insurance on both partners - this is called keyman life insurance. Go to this site to learn more.

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